The Naked Now (episode)
The crew of the Enterprise-D encounter a virus which causes them to lose control of their actions and feelings. Summary Fatal Seduction (Teaser) :Captain's log, Stardate 41209.2. We are running at Warp 7 to rendezvous with the science vessel [[SS Tsiolkovsky|SS ''Tsiolkovsky]] which has been routinely monitoring the collapse of a red supergiant star into a white dwarf. What has brought us here is a series of strange messages indicating something has gone wrong aboard the research vessel.'' The ''Enterprise'' arrives at the Tsiolkovsky's location, enquiring about their situation. Opening communications, the bridge crew hear a woman speaking in a seductive voice. In confusion, Data requests for the woman to repeat her message, in which she states that a huge 'blowout' is about to occur. Many other crew on the Tsiolkovsky begin laughing before a large explosive sound is heard followed by silence. Captain Picard requests a report. Data responds stating that the crew had just opened an emergency hatch. This prompts Commander Riker to stand up and head to the turbolift, followed by Data, Geordi LaForge and Tasha Yar, to beam over to the Tsiolkovsky. As they leave, Worf reports that there are no life signs on board the ship. In the transporter room, Riker and the rest of the away team step onto the transporter pad, requesting to be beamed to the Tsiolkovsky's bridge. The transporter chief notifies Riker that life support in that area is not functioning, prompting Riker to tell the chief to transport them to the main corridor instead. The chief complies and beams them over to the Tsiolkovsky in one of its corridors. On the Tsiolkovsky, the away team spreads out to investigate the ship. The corridors are quiet, but are littered with discarded items and food. The walls are also covered with phaser burn marks. Riker arrives at the door leading to the bridge, but it fails to open. He looks to the corridor wall, which features a small screen. He activates it, and it reveals the emergency hatch area. The bridge is empty of all loose items and is open to space. Yar contacts Riker from Engineering, stating that all crew present are frozen. Someone had modified the environmental controls, venting all heat into space. In the crew quarters, LaForge witnesses many nude or barely clothed bodies, all frozen. He enters the bathroom and finds a fully-clothed frozen woman in the shower. Riker contacts the Enterprise to submit his report. He reports that the crew were dead - all eighty. Unusual Behavior (Act One) :Captain's log, supplemental. We are downloading the research information gathered on the collapsing star nearby. I am concerned at being in such close orbit, but the ''Tsiolkovsky's research records will no doubt predict the time of the star's final collapse.'' In Doctor Crusher's office, the doctor and Deanna Troi are analyzing the tricorder readings from the away team to ascertain what happened to the Tsiolkovsky's crew. Picard enters to request a report, but Crusher is unable to give any theories as to what happened to the crew. Hoping to receive some answers, Picard asks Troi what she felt from the crew of the Tsiolkovsky. She responds saying that she felt confusion, exhilaration and possibly madness, hysteria, or delusion. Picard then requests that the away team be returned to the Enterprise after undergoing full decontamination. Later in sickbay, Dr. Crusher is giving medical scans to all members of the away team. Scanning Data, she notes how perfect his overall condition is, stating that she would write him up in a Starfleet Medical textbook. Data responds to her praise by stating that he already is in many texts. With that said, Data leaves the main biobed and Geordi LaForge takes his place. After a few moments, she checks the scan results for LaForge. All of his systems are normal, except Crusher notes that he's perspiring. He raises his voice saying that the room is too hot; the perspiration is visable on his face. Those in the room are surprised by La Forge's response, with even Riker noting that it didn't sound like him. La Forge smiles and says that Dr. Crusher threw her voice. He means this as a joke, but nobody is amused. With this response, Crusher decides to perform some more tests on La Forge. Later, after conducting her tests, Crusher contacts Picard via the communications network. She notifies him that she is confining LaForge to sickbay until further notice, as she couldn't determine what the problem was, if any. On the bridge, Riker steps out from the turbolift towards Data at the science station. Riker wants some information and enlists the help of Data. He has a vague memory of reading something about a person fully clothed in a shower, relating to La Forge's find on the Tsiolkovsky. Data agrees to help Riker and commences an extensive library-computer inquiry for Riker after he comments that it should be easy for Data to find the information as he is written in many bio-mechanical texts. Data is curious and inquires if he was boasting about his comment about being in many texts to Crusher. Riker comments that he possibly was in a dry way, and inquires about the time it would take for the search. It would take some time. Data, however, continues the conversation about him in texts by saying that Crusher may look him up in the texts he mentioned. Back in sickbay, Crusher continues her tests on La Forge, who is still lying on the main bio-bed. She checks the reading of one of her latest scans and then proceeds to her office and compares her readings with ones on her viewer. Meanwhile, La Forge sits up in his bed, removes his combadge and quietly leaves sickbay unnoticed. Not long after, Crusher returns and notices La Forge missing. She snatches his combadge and runs out the door calling out for him, but there is nobody present in the corridor. She sends a message to the bridge to notify Tasha Yar of La Forge's escape. Tasha Yar confirms and notifies her teams while Picard orders a ship-wide search. In Dr. Crusher's quarters, Wesley Crusher and La Forge are present. Wesley is showing La Forge a miniature tractor beam emitter he created. He demonstrates its abilities by lifting a chair, stating that the emitter uses technologies similar to those of the Enterprise's emitters with his own ideas included. Despite La Forge's compliment, Wesley is disappointed that Picard won't let him on the bridge, even with his superior knowledge of ship's systems. He brings out a cube-shaped object that makes him feel like he's welcomed. The object emulates Picard's voice from words he has used over the communication network. La Forge compliments Wesley again, but he notices something wrong in La Forges's voice. La Forge notes that he has a burning feeling, then comments that the room is hot. He exits Crusher's quarters, leaving Wesley confused. Geordi finds refuge in the observation lounge. However, he is discovered by Tasha Yar, who tells him that Medical is worried about him. Still staring out the room's windows, La Forge yearns for help. Ignoring him, Yar calls for a security team. La Forge asks for help yet again -- help to not give in to the wild behavior in his mind. She asks how she can help, but he wants to see with his eyes again. The security team arrives outside the door as La Forge removes his VISOR, revealing his blind eyes. She tells him that they'll talk about it later and leads him to the door with the waiting security detail to escort him back to sickbay. Polywater Intoxication (Act Two) :Captain's log, supplemental. I am concerned that away team member Lieutenant La Forge has been taken to sickbay. The report: "unusual behavior." In sickbay, La Forge lies on a bio-bed again but is having difficulty controlling his emotions. Both Dr. Crusher and Deanna Troi are monitoring his condition while Picard and Yar are discussing the current circumstances. She mentions to Picard that La Forge was quite upset and wanted normal vision. Picard acknowledges her and proceeds to sickbay while Yar leaves. Right before she reaches the exit, she wipes her hand on her head; she knows she doesn't feel right but continues to leave. When Picard arrives at La Forge's bio-bed, Crusher tells him that none of her equipment can detect an elevated temperature in him, but it is obvious by sight. Picard is worried about the spread of the infection, but Crusher doubts it can be spread as full decontamination proceedures were performed. Crusher states that the condition was more likely to be a case of insanity or severe emotional upset. Picard and Crusher both look to Troi for answers. All she can sense is confusion, and possibly intoxication. Crusher denies this as tests showed no drugs or hallucinogens in his body. on the viewscreen]] Back on the bridge, Data and Riker are continuing their search, but it's proving nearly impossible. The mention of a proverb by Riker prompts him to tell Data to search the historical records of all starships named ''Enterprise''. As Data looks over the relevant medical records, Picard arrives on the bridge. Just as he reaches the station, Data finds the relevant information from the medical database from the old ''Constitution''-class ''Enterprise''. The records state that during a planetary breakup, complex water molecules had acquired carbon from the body creating similar effects of alcohol on the brain, essentially intoxication. By Picard's orders, the information is downloaded and transmitted to medical. He contacts Crusher and notifies her that the information and a cure is being transmitted to the medical database. Crusher requests confirmation, in which Picard gives an out-of-character 'Absolutely!' making Data curious. Later, Deanna Troi goes to her quarters to find Tasha Yar rummaging through her selection of gowns. Troi enters, confused. Yar is comparing the gowns to her body, but the clothes are noticably not right for her. Yar tells her that she wants help with clothes and hair style, noting that she wants to change her image and that Troi wears great clothes off-duty. She holds up one gown, but Troi says it's not her style. She senses Yar's confusion and tries to comfort her, but Yar resists, puts the clothes down and heads for the exit, saying that she'll find what she wants in the ship's stores. As she leaves, Troi heads for the door but can't stop her. She hits the comm panel and notifies Picard that she thinks Yar's been infected with the mysterious intoxication. Picard compares Yar to a 'snootful,' but Data is unfamiliar with the term. Instead of helping Data, Picard shouts out 'Forget it!'. Back in sickbay, Crusher is continuing her work with Wesley present, levitating objects for fun. He calls out for his mother, prompting her to leave her work and see Wesley levitating a medical tricorder. Persperation is also notable on his face. Crusher is too worried for Wesley, however, to compliment him on his work. She tells him to go to their quarters until it's safe. He excessively acknowledges her orders and starts to leave, but notes that she is stunting his emotional growth. Just as he leaves, he says that the room is hot and wipes his forehead of sweat. Before she can think about what he said, Picard contacts her, inquiring if a test injection had been created. She replies with a negative. In one of the Enterprise's corridors, Tasha Yar moves in a very seductive way. Around her, everybody is acting unprofessionally, with lots of flirting. A crewman walks past a corner in the corridor in front of Yar. She beckons him closer and gives the officer a huge kiss. On the bridge, Data continues to upload the information from the Tsiolkovsky to the Enterprise. He notes to Picard that it will take another 41 minutes to complete the upload. Picard asks him why the upload is so slow and Data says the Tsiolkovsky had 8 months of information that needed to be transferred. However, Picard looks at the viewscreen, revealing the system's star. He asks what the danger is from the star if it exploded in the worst-case scenario. Data notes that they could outrun any dangerous events from the star at half-impulse. A view of the star again reveals many surface flares. In Engineering, both Chief Engineer Sarah MacDougal and her assistant Jim Shimoda are working at their posts. A bosun whistle is heard, accompanied by orders for MacDougal to come to the bridge. She is obviously not happy with the order and reluctantly leaves Engineering, leaving Shimoda in charge. A moment later, Shimoda is ordered by Picard to go to sickbay. He, too, is reluctant, but Wesley arrives inquiring about the order. Shimoda notes that if he left, nobody would be in charge of Engineering. Wesley tells Shimoda that he could take care of Engineering and contact MacDougal if anything bad was to happen. He gives a big smile at Shimoda and wipes some more sweat from his forehead. MacDougal arrives on the bridge, but Picard doesn't know why she's there. She notes that he called her to the bridge. As far as he knows, he didn't and he wants her in Engineering in case they need to leave the system. Another bosun whistle is heard with Picard's voice accompanying it. Picard looks in disbelief as he hears his own voice tuning over command of the vessel to Acting Captain Wesley Crusher. Repeating the title in disbelief, Wesley's voice is heard with joy thanking the recording and he gives a short speech mentioning that this marks a new day for the Enterprise. Confusion, Love and Frustration (Act Three) :Captain's log, Stardate 41209.3 The strange contaminant that led to the deaths of the ''Tsiolkovsky crew is now aboard the Enterprise and our Engineering Section has been commandeered by young Wesley Crusher ...'' After hearing Wesley's recording, Picard orders MacDougal to take control of Engineering. She heads for the turbolift as Riker follows to assist. Worf, at Operations, mentions that abnormal behavior is being reported from all decks, including the ship's training division ordering all officers to attend a lecture in metaphysics. Data confirms this, including a limerick developed by an officer from the shuttlebay involving a "woman from Venus." Picard interupts Data before he can finish the "adult" limerick by contacting Security. The officer who replies is laid back, speaking informally to Picard, even acting rude. Picard inquires for Yar's location. Yar replies that she's in her quarters and is busy. Picard tells her to stay there and orders Data to take her to Sickbay. As Data leaves, Picard orders all security supervisors to report to the bridge. In Engineering, Wesley has complete control, cutting off everybody from himself in the main work area with a forcefield from his tractor beam emitter. He and the officers outside the forcefield are contaminated with the intoxication, with all focus on Wesley. He continues his speech, mentioning that a dessert course would preceed and follow every meal in his command. Everybody outside the forcefield cheers for "the acting Captain." Shimoda walks into the forcefield and is knocked back slightly. Being intoxicated, he asks Wesley how he created the field. Wesley motions towards his tractor beam emitter and notes that he connected it to ship's power and made a repulsor beam. He asks if Shimoda wants in, and he joyfully nods, giving an oath of loyalty to Wesley. The field is deactivated, then reactivated after Shimoda enters the work area, leaving the rest of the officers outside. Data goes to Tasha's quarters and finds her provocatively dressed. Unsure how to react, Data tells Yar that he needs to take her to Sickbay; however, she has no intention of going with him. Data indicates that Yar needs time to return to uniform, but she notes that she got out of uniform just for him. She tells Data that she was abandoned when she was five years old and learned how to stay alive. It wasn't until she was 15 that she escaped, but now she wants love and joy. She asks how "functional" Data is; he replies he is fully functional and is programmed in many "techniques," a wide variety of pleasuring. She leads him to her bedroom, where Data gives a programmed smile. The door closes. In Engineering, Riker and MacDougal are working as Picard contacts them for a progress report. Shimoda had removed all the isolinear chips from the command computers, disabling the ship's engines. In the office, Shimoda is sitting in a great pile of isolinear chips, throwing them around with glee. Riker tells Picard about Wesley's tractor beam forcefield. Picard asks if there was a way to short out power to the emitter. MacDougal thinks for a moment, then says she can, but it would take some time. Picard, with concern about the impending star explosion, orders her to do it. Riker and MacDougal begin work on a panel near the office, but a door opens nearby and a voice calls for "Bill," Troi's nickname for Riker. She goes towards Riker, obviously intoxicated. She's feeling a human side she had never felt before. Riker picks her up and takes her to Sickbay, but all Troi wants is to be alone with him. After a long time, Crusher finally concocts the antidote found in the medical database to combat the intoxication. She fills a hypospray and injects La Forge him with the antidote. Expecting instant results, she waits, but La Forge asks how the antidote was to help him to see with normal sight, to see a rainbow or sunset. To her dismay, it didn't work. Later, Riker brings Troi over his shoulder into Sickbay and puts her down on a bio-bed. He calls Crusher, but gets no response. He rushes into her office where he finds a desolete Dr. Crusher. He shakes her slightly, repeating his call. She tells him that the formula didn't work, and that the water-carbon complex had possibly mutated. She snaps out of her funk and heads back to Sickbay with Riker to treat Troi. Crusher then realizes that Riker touched Troi, then Riker touched her. They have both been infected. She tells him that he can't leave, but Riker insists on leaving to assist in reactivating the command computers. If he stayed, they could die; if no formula could be made, they would die. The stress on Dr. Crusher is becoming increasingly worse. Dire Times (Act Four) :Captain's log, supplemental. It is no longer an inconvenient childish prank. Young Wesley Crusher, admittedly a victim of the ''Tsiolkovsky "infection," is now in control of my starship. How he acquired the engineering information and knowledge he is using, I have no idea.'' On the bridge, Picard is speaking to Wesley on the viewscreen. Despite Wesley's condition, he speaks formally to Picard as a superior. Picard demands for him to return control of the Enterprise to the bridge, but Wesley simply states that he'll do whatever it is he wants from Engineering. Picard interupts him and tells him that starships are controlled by their own Captains. Wesley then notes that the captain doesn't control the vessel by himself, but orders people to do the work. He then asks what the problem is with asking him to perform the work. Interrupting the conversation, Worf notes that the there are unusual readings coming from the star. Picard tells him to stand by, then tells Wesley that he's been infected by the intoxication that occured on the Tsiolkovsky. Wesley thinks for a moment, then asks if that is why he feels hot and strange, he then asks if he's drunk, because he feels "good." Picard, in a calm tone, tells him that the intoxication is greater than that of alcohol. Wesley appears to be buying it and asks what Picard will do with the Enterprise. He tells Wesley that he wants to tow the Tsiolkovsky away with a tractor beam. The instant Picard mentions of towing, Wesley notes that he's an expert in tractor beams and proceeds to work, closing the channel. Additionally, without warning, the officer at the CONN leaves the bridge, ignoring Picard. Just as the officer leaves, Worf reports that the star is collapsing. The stress on Picard is also becoming great. In Engineering, Wesley is attempting to get the tractor beam working to tow the Tsiolkovsky, but all the command chips are still out of their slots, now mixed up due to Shimoda. Meanwhile, Riker and MacDougal think they've found the solution. They look back at the office, where the forcefield is still active. Dr. Crusher attempts to find a new formula to cure the intoxication. Out of habit, she wipes her forehead and realises that the intoxication is beginning. She attempts to focus, but finds difficulty handling simple objects. Thanks to Wesley's efforts, a tractor beam instantly activates and locks onto the Tsiolkovsky. On the bridge, Worf reports on this. Picard attempts to contact Wesley with no luck; however, Data has arrived on the bridge but in a weird stagger, since he's been infected by Yar. Picard is confused as to how Data got infected. Dr. Crusher arrives and asks to talk to Picard in his ready room on an urgent matter, then goes into it anyway. Entering the ready room, he finds Crusher with a smile on her face; she's obviously been infected. She giggles, but Picard is not amused. She tries to control herself, speaking in a formal nature but having difficulty controlling her emotions. She can't help but keep mentioning her extreme attraction to Picard, but all Picard wants is a cure. All of a sudden, he finds himself wiping sweat from his forehead; he's been infected, too. They exit the ready room; Crusher giggles again and waves to Picard. Picard tries to refrain from giggling and waving. Worf notices this and contacts Riker to notify him that Data and Picard have been infected. Riker tells him he's on his way and leaves MacDougal to continue the work in Engineering. The reaction in the star is becoming more severe, prompting the red alert klaxon to activate. Despite being intoxicated, the bridge crew look at concern towards viewscreen; an object is approaching. Worf tells the crew that a portion of the star's surface is on a collision course just as Riker arrives. Picard attempts to order Worf to move the ship, but he can't think of the correct words to say. A moment later, Picard is able to get the words out and orders Worf to move the ship out of the area. He tries his controls, but there is no response. He jumps over to the helm, but still no response. Riker contacts Wesley in Engineering, but he ignores the call. Meanwhile, MacDougal is continuing her work and finally shorts the power to the force field. She rushes in as Riker calls Engineering again to reactivate ship power. She walks over to Shimoda, telling him that they are command chips rather than toys. She contacts the Bridge to reply to Riker's call. Agitated, she tells him that nothing can be done as all the command chips have been removed. Worf estimates 14 minutes until the stellar mass hits the ship, but that isn't enough time to return all the chips into their slots. Wesley, trying to help as much as he can, notes that Data can replace them due to his great speed. Riker orders Data to report to Engineering. Collision Course (Act Five) :Ship's log, First Officer Riker. The star has begun disintegrating. ''Enterprise will be destroyed unless it can be moved out of the path of the star material hurtling toward us. Our only hope is for Lieutenant Commander Data, in the time we have left, to regain his senses and reconnect engine power to the Bridge.'' As MacDougal attempts to sort the the pile of isolinear chips, Data arrives, obviously infected. Wesley and Data exchange greetings, but Riker interupts them so work can proceed. Riker wipes some sweat from his forehead - the intoxication is beginning. He yells at Data to get to work before he ends up like everybody else. Wesley compares the task to a game, which intrigues Data and he starts replacing the isolinear chips. To see the progress of the star's explosion, Wesley switches one of the engineering consoles to the main viewer; visible is a stellar core fragment, racing towards the Enterprise. Riker asks Data if he can finish in time, but Data needs slightly more time than is available. Riker wipes his head, to find he's sweating. He starts to panic as he's now succumbing to the infection. In her office, Crusher is continuing to work on finding a vaccine. Picard enters and Crusher calls him by his first name, which he still considers inappropriate despite being infected. However, Crusher sees it all as a game and tells Picard that he can call her Chief Medical Officer. Picard begins to wander off and starts to have fun with the conversation, but quickly shakes his head, trying to concentrate. Crusher stands up, taking the blue hypospray container, but she forgets where she was going. Picard indicates the hypospray, which reminds her that she was going to test it on Geordi. Meanwhile, in Engineering, Data continues to work on resetting the isolinear chips, but Wesley is trying to show off his school project. He shows it to Riker, boasting about his work, but Riker focuses on Data instead. Back on the screen, the core fragment continues to approach the defenseless Enterprise, and it begins to worry Wesley. He looks at his project, and contemplates what it could do if it were much more powerful. Crusher vaccinates La Forge in sickbay with Picard still present. She is unsure about her new vaccine as it is still based on the old Enterprise's remedy. However, after being injected with the modified vaccine, La Forge notes that his head is clearing - the new vaccine has worked. Crusher instantly turns around and injects Picard and herself with the working vaccine. She then hands the hypospray to Picard and both leave to inoculate the crew. With the fragment homing in on the Enterprise, Wesley develops the idea to turn the starship tractor beam into a repulser beam. MacDougal says it would take weeks to lay out new circuits for the idea to work. Despite his intoxication, Wesley is able to formulate an idea to make his theory reality. He begins work at the console he's at; however, he is unable to think straight and becomes stuck halfway through. Dr. Crusher rushes into Engineering, but Riker is not confident that they have enough time. When Wesley is innoculated, he quickly continues his work as his mind clears and he successfully turns the tractor beam into a repulser beam. The Enterprise slowly moves away as the Tsiolkovsky remains in the path of the fragment. Riker calls the bridge and orders the engines to be engaged. The Tsiolkovsky collides with the fragment and explodes, buying the time for the Enterprise to escape. They leave at warp while the remains of the fragment passes by. With his mind now clear, La Forge, who is present on the bridge, wonders what pushed them out of the way. Worf thinks it was Data, but Picard corrects him saying it was both Data and Wesley. Worf is greatly surprised. Additionally, Riker recommends to Picard that he receive a fair mention in his log. Picard agrees, and also wishes to acknowledge his science teacher. With everything back to normal, the senior staff returns to the bridge to commence normal operations. However, when Tasha arrives on the bridge, she turns to Data at the science station and informs him, out of embarrassment, that the actions of that day had never happened. Data puzzles over her statement. Memorable Quotes "Wouldn't you rather be alone with me? With me in your mind?" :- Troi Background Information * This episode was based on TOS: "The Naked Time", by John D.F. Black, written May 12, 1967. * Although literature for many years had refered to the original ''Enterprise'' as "Constitution-class", this was the first episode in any series that actually used it in its dialogue, thus making it canon for the very first time. *This is the first appearance of the 24th century medical tricorder, and the second appearance of the "frozen" mannequin previously used to represent Tasha Yar in "Encounter at Farpoint". *A piece of background artwork seen behind Data was the Tsiolkovsky dedication plaque, which lists the ship's NCC number and its origin in the USSR, a state that disintegrated four years after this episode was produced. Starfleet usually places the plaque on the bridge, but the Tsiolkovsky had its plaque in the anteroom outside the bridge where Riker and Data examined a viewscreen. *More artwork was created for a sequence where Data views information at high speed. A number of notable non-canon designs are mixed into the graphics, such as ship designs from the FASA role-playing reference works (See: Games). Links and References Sarah MacDougal.]] Guest Stars * Brooke Bundy as Sarah MacDougal * Benjamin W.S. Lum as Jim Shimoda * Lorine Mendell as Diana Giddings (uncredited) ;Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) personnel * Kenny Koch as a crewman * Michael Rider as a transporter chief * Skip Stellrecht as an engineer * David Renan as a flight controller ;SS Tsiolkovsky personnel * Voice of the woman on the comm channel (uncredited) References ''Constitution''-class; Beverly Crusher; Data; decompression; decontamination; ''Enterprise'', USS; gravity; gravity shift; hull breach; hydrogen; isolinear optical chip; medical tricorder; metaphysics; [[SS Tsiolkovsky|SS Tsiolkovsky]]; Jean-Luc Picard; polywater; polywater intoxication; red giant; repulsor beam; sex; sickbay; Soong-type android; SS (registry); star; stellar matter; stellar core fragment; Sonic driver; tractor beam; training division; white dwarf; Venus; VISOR; Natasha Yar. Other references K't'inga class; Oberth class; Baikonur Cosmodrome; USSR Timeline *2266 *2364 Naked Now, The de:Gedankengift es:The Naked Now nl:The Naked Now